Rajendra Prasanna (; born 15 April 1956) is an

Indian classical Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

and

shehnai The ''shehnai'' is a musical instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end.Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. He learnt music from his father

Raghunath Prasanna Pandit Raghunath Prasanna (1913 – June 1999) was an Indian classical shehnai and bansuri, flute player. He was known for using the techniques of shehnai in flute playing, also inspired by vocal music. Personal life and family Raghunath was ...

and from his uncles

Bholanath Prasanna Pt. Bholanath Prasanna was an Indian flute or bansuri player. He was born in Varanasi. He was the guru of celebrated flute player Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. Career Bholanath Prasanna learnt Indian classical music from his father Pt. Gauri S ...

and Vishnu Prasanna. His family moved to Delhi in the early seventies, and he later became the disciple of

Hafeez Ahmed Khan Hafeez Ahmed Khan (died 2006) was an Indian classical musician of Hindustani classical music. He is known as one of the leading exponents of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, a musical school popular in the northern parts of the Indian state of Utta ...

and Sarfaraz Hussain Khan. He also took lessons from singer Mahadev Mishra of Benares Gharana.

Performances

He performed at the

Edinburgh festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

( UK),

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century archit ...

WOMAD WOMAD ( ; World of Music, Arts and Dance) is an international arts festival. The central aim of WOMAD is to celebrate the world's many forms of music, arts and dance. History WOMAD was founded in 1980 by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, w ...

Festival ( Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

), World Music festival for golden jubilee celebration for India's Independence held in America, Canada and Switzerland (U.N.O. Headquarters) in 1997,

Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, and arran ...

in London (Ravi Shankar project), Opera de Lyon in France. Rajendra Prasanna playing shehnai

Awards and honors

* Top Grade Artist of All India Radio * Rajendra was the recipient of various awards and honors including Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy Award - Flute & Shehnai (1995) *

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

certificate for his participation in "Concert for George" in 2004. * Lifetime Achievement Award by Sahara India. *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...

- Hindustani Instrumental - Shehnai / Flute 2017.

Discography

* ''Indian Classical Music by Rajendra Prasanna'' - T-Series * ''Flute Fantasy'' * ''Colors of life'' * ''Tribute to Pt. Raghunath Prasanna'' * ''Nirmal Sangeet'' * ''Ghoomar'' * ''Enchanting of Himalayas'' * ''A tribute to Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shehnai)'' - 2006

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prasanna, Rajendra 1956 births Living people Hindustani instrumentalists Indian flautists Bansuri players Shehnai players Musicians from Varanasi Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award